Movie Hunger

Last night I took my bride out for our weekly date night.  We went to see the movie Hunger Games.  I was really looking forward to this movie after my daughter gave me the books and I read them in very short order.  The books were good and the movie had some really good reviews so I was set up to be disappointed.  I was not.  The movie was loyal to the books and the small diversions were not deal breakers.  I was wondering how they could effectively translate some of the more ambitious scenes from the book but they nailed all of these.  The movie audience was really crowded and about 80 per cent female but this was still a good action movie.  I was surprised by the number of very small children in attendance for what was, at times, a very intense movie.  We had one 2-3 year old sitting right behind us.  She was good for the most part although she did ask a bunch of really loud questions and had a truly impressive episode of high decibel flatulence.  I had no right to be perturbed because I can remember bringing my own children to the movies at a similar age.  I remember my daughter requisitioning my chest as a recliner as if this was required for her movie watching experience.  When she got older and stopped doing this I really missed it.  I always covered the kids’ eyes for the inappropriate scenes and they seemed to like this game.  I always gave them credit for being able to handle the movie content but I’m not sure I was a good parent in doing this.  They both turned out to be very well adjusted adults in spite of this.  It was probably very self-centered of me because I absolutely love movies and one of the first sacrifices you make with a new born is movie nights.  It would have been manifestly unfair to leave the wife at home with babies while I went to the movies so I didn’t.  So, when they reached an age where they could attend I started bringing them.  They both turned out to be movie nuts themselves, although with a decidedly different taste.  My daughter is a real student of the medium, something I am also, but not to the degree she has achieved.  My son is a devotee of science fiction and action movies, something he also picked up from me.  When we go to the movies together and watch the previews – all we have to do is look at each other to know that the previewed movie is going to be a must see for both of us.   I know it bugs my wife when the kids and I launch into one of our movie discussions but it really has turned out to be common ground that we like to explore together.  Its great being able to share ground with them despite the yawning gulf of our years.